2 Harper Students Die, 1 Hurt In Crash

Two Harper College students were killed and a third was critically injured Tuesday when two cars collided along a stretch of Euclid Avenue just east of the school.

Police said the accident occurred about 1:25 p.m. when a Ford Ranger pickup truck traveling east on Euclid Avenue crossed into the path of an oncoming Geo Tracker.

The driver of the pickup, William McLenahan, 18, of Arlington Heights, was thrown through the passenger-side window of his truck. He was in critical condition with head injuries in Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, police said.

John Hampton, 21, of Prospect Heights, and Sung Jun Kwon, 20, of Mt. Prospect, the two people in the Geo, were pronounced dead on arrival at two northwest suburban hospitals, police said. None of the three was wearing seat belts.

Police said they found a book bag in the back of the Geo Tracker, but it was unclear whether they were on their way to school.

The school's north entrance is a few hundred yards from the accident site.

The accident remained under investigation late Tuesday.

Police believe McLenahan lost control of the truck. Tire marks were visible on the curb, leading police to suspect that he veered right, struck the curb, then may have overcompensated, causing the truck to cross into oncoming traffic.

Police said the four-lane road was dry and clear at the time.

When emergency crews arrived on the scene, they called for a helicopter but canceled the request after learning the first available flight would be heading in from Milwaukee and would take a half-hour.

Police said there were no signs that anyone involved in the accident had been drinking. Nor was there evidence that either vehicle was traveling at an excessive speed.